Every great design begins with a basic idea or concept which is slowly developed and finalized into the actual design. In the designing world, this initial idea or outline of a sketch is known as ‘wireframe’. The wireframe can be for a landing page, website, an app, etc. The primary function of a wireframe is to give a general idea about the actual design. It is created using simple shapes to outline where the buttons, images, text blocks, etc. will be placed. This makes it easy for the designer to make changes as required. Once the design is confirmed, a detailed model is created.
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What is wireframe software?
Many designers prefer creating their wireframes manually; however, it can be time-consuming and requires a lot of effort. Also, with websites and applications becoming more sophisticated and intricate, creating these wireframes on your computers is a much better option. A wireframe tool can help you do wonders and create the best wireframes as per your requirements.
When it comes to designing and creating, wireframes play a crucial role which is why you will find several wireframe tools available in the market today. These tools range from basic ones which allow you to quickly create a rough wireframe to more advanced ones wherein you will be able to create an almost finished model of your design.
With such a wide range of options available, we understand it can be difficult for you to find the right tools for yourself. Hence, we have curated this list of the 6 best paid and free wireframe tools for Mac which will help you to choose the one that matches your requirement the best.
6 best wireframe tools for Mac
Read on to find out about the best wireframing tools in 2021 for Mac, their features, pros and cons, pricing plans, and alternatives.
1. Balsamiq
One of the most popular wireframe tools online for Mac is Balsamiq. Designers absolutely love this wireframing tool which gives a real-time experience of drawing and sketching on whiteboards and notepads. A major reason why designers love this tool is because it does not require you to possess any expertise. Even someone who is just starting out will find it easy to use this tool.
You will have access to several features, such as drag-and-drop elements which are styled in the form of a hand drawing. Balsamiq offers a complete package of wireframing tools and is suitable for technical as well as non-technical users.
Features
The key features of Balsamiq include –
- Desktop interface
- Collaboration
- Built-in templates
- Mobile interface
- Drag and drop
- Prototype creation
- Presentation tools
- Page linking
- Mock-up creation
- Interactive elements
- Revision history
- Version control
- Wireframe creation
- Data linking
Pros
- Easy to use with a short learning curve.
- The toolbar at the top makes it easy to access the necessary functions.
Cons
- In some cases, it is difficult or even impossible to resize columns.
- The icons library is limited.
Pricing plans
- Free trial
- Balsamiq Cloud – Starts from $9/month
- Wireframes for Desktop – $89/user (One-time payment)
Alternatives
If you are looking for Balsamiq alternatives, you can check out –
- Sketch
- Figma
- Axure RP
2. Axure RP
Axure RP is one of the best wireframing tools in 2021 whether you want to create high-quality, powerful prototypes or low-fi wireframes. This amazing wireframing tool offers a wide range of features which makes it easy for designers to create interactive HTML mockups, wireframes, idea boards, etc. Their custom library also has several elements for creating stunning diagrams. You can also keep track of all your tasks by annotating the diagrams and prototypes.
A key USP of this wireframing tool is that there is no coding required. You will also have access to several special features, such as adaptive views, math functions, conditional flows, single click shares, animation effects, etc.
Features
Below are the key features of Axure RP –
- Collaboration
- Page linking
- Desktop interface
- Interactive elements
- Mobile interface
- Mock-up creation
- Drag and drop
- Built-in templates
- Prototype creation
- Presentation tools
- Animation
- Conditional logic
- Historical reporting
- Image library
- No code
- Third-party integrations
- Widgets
- Version control
Pros
- Axure RP is quite robust with the possibility to add realistic interactions.
- Compared to other open-source wireframe tools, Axure RP offers several advanced features.
Cons
- The learning curve can be quite steep.
- The user interface is not as intuitive as some of the other wireframing tools for Mac.
Pricing plans
Below are the pricing plans offered by Axure RP –
- Free 30-day trial
- Axure RP Pro – $25/user/month/billed annually
- Axure RP Team – $42/user/month/billed annually
- Axure for Enterprise – Custom pricing
Alternatives
You can also check out the below three alternatives for Axure RP –
- Sketch
- Figma
- Mockplus
3. Fluid UI
Want to create professional-looking prototypes quickly? Give Fluid UI a try! This is one of the best open-source wireframe tools for Mac with more than 2000 wireframe models and UI widgets for mobile phones. You can add various animation and interactive effects, such as swipes, clicks, taps, etc. Fluid UI offers most of the features that are required in a wireframing tool along with several other features as well. This interactive tool makes it possible for all the users to work on a single platform and better collaborate with each other. Multiple users can chat, add annotations, review designs, etc.
Fluid UI is an amazing wireframing tool for freelancers, small businesses, and medium businesses. Users can also take advantage of live calls and interactive video sessions within Fluid UI to present their prototypes.
Features
Below are the key features of Fluid UI –
- Collaboration
- Mock-up creation
- Prototype creation
- Interactive elements
- Mobile interface
- Desktop interface
- Presentation tools
- Drag and drop
- Page linking
- Data linking
- File sharing
- Revision history
- Screen capture
- Wireframe creation
Pros
- Fluid UI is quite an easy-to-use wireframing tool.
- Fluid UI provides easy creation as well as sharing of the prototypes.
Cons
- Compared to some of the other wireframing tools, the paid version of Fluid UI is slightly more expensive.
- Sometimes, the system is extremely slow.
Pricing plans
Fluid UI offers the below pricing plans –
- Free plan
- Solo – $8.25/month/billed annually
- Pro – $19.08/month/billed annually
- Team – $41.58/month/billed annually
Alternatives
The top three alternatives for Fluid UI are –
- Balsamiq
- InVision
- Figma
4. Mockplus
The list of the best wireframe tools for Mac in 2021 is incomplete without mentioning Mockplus! You can create spectacular designs and prototypes using this tool which offers a vast library of icons, interactive elements, components, etc. You can create unique low-fi sketches without having to write any code. Designers often rely on Mockplus for organizing complex projects by allowing all admin and organizational tasks to go hand-in-hand with the designing process.
This all-in-tool is ideal for businesses of all sizes, product designers, and product managers. It offers several features like stack panel, pop-up panel, scroll box, and many more. With Mockplus, you can easily streamline your design process and collaborate with your team which in turn helps in the quick and timely completion of the designs and prototypes.
Features
Mockplus offers the below key features –
- Collaboration
- Drag and drop
- Interactive elements
- Mock-up creation
- Mobile interface
- Desktop interface
- Page linking
- Presentation tools
- Prototype creation
- Built-in templates
- Revision history
- Screen capture
- Wireframe creation
- Feedback management
- Data linking
Pros
- Mockplus has an easy-to-use interface with more than 200 components and 3000 icons.
- It has a good library of built-in templates.
Cons
- The paid versions of Mockplus are quite expensive.
- Multiple users cannot work at the same time on the same project.
Pricing plans
Below are the pricing plans of Mockplus –
- Basic – Free
- Pro – $5.95 per user/month/billed annually
- Ultimate – $12.95 per user/month/billed annually
- Enterprise – Custom pricing
Alternatives
You can also check out the below three top alternatives of Mockplus –
- Axure RP
- Balsamiq
- Fluid UI
5. Sketch
Sketch is one of the most powerful designing apps for designers. With this professional wireframing tool for Mac, designers can create more efficient wireframes and designs. This tool focuses mainly on UI and icon vector design. It has a very simple and intuitive interface and it is also lightweight. With Sketch, you can create simple wireframes and you can also use the Symbol feature to automatically repeat the elements across your design.
You can also build complete prototypes by downloading several third-party UI kits. Sketch offers a wide range of functionalities, such as color variables, vector editing, Boolean operations, templates, shared libraries, plugins, integrations, and more. This is undoubtedly one of the best wireframing tools for Mac in 2021.
Features
Below are the key features of Sketch –
- Collaboration
- Premium icons
- Transparency tool
- Image editor
- Built-in templates
- Drag and drop
- Design management
- Content library
- Customizable templates
- Feature library
- Prototype creation
- Data import
- Data export
- File sharing
Pros
- Sketch provides instant preview of the design on mobile devices.
- You can export multiple sizes and formats with just one click.
Cons
- The collaboration tools are not as great as some of the other wireframe tools.
- The file sharing feature needs to be improved.
Pricing plans
Below are the pricing plans offered by Sketch –
- Free trial
- Standard – $9/user/month
- Business – Custom pricing
Alternatives
Do check out the below three alternatives for Sketch as well –
- Figma
- Balsamiq
- Mockplus
6. Justinmind
If you are looking for the best prototyping tool, especially for non-techies, then Justinmind is an ideal solution. With its simple drag-and-drop interface, users can easily define websites without needing any knowledge of codes. This wireframing tool has more than 1000 templates, buttons and forms, several widgets, generic shapes, etc. The tool also offers custom styling which allows the users to add cropped images, import graphics, add colored gradients, and more functionalities.
You can use Justinmind to create, preview, and validate your wireframes and prototypes. This open-source wireframing tool is suitable for web as well as mobile applications. One feature that allows Justinmind to stand apart from the other wireframing tools is that it includes interactive prototype elements like radio buttons, dropdowns, text inputs, etc.
Features
Below are the key features of Justinmind –
- Animation
- Prototyping
- For mobile
- For websites
- User research
- User journeys
- Usability testing
- Unmoderated testing
- Templates
- Collaboration
- Drag and drop
Pros
- The UI elements are updated frequently.
- You can integrate Justinmind with other design tools, such as Sketch, Photoshop, etc.
Cons
- More tutorials required on how to use the tool.
- The learning curve is not very smooth.
Pricing plans
Justinmind offers the below pricing plans –
- Free plan
- Standard – $9/user/month/billed annually
- Professional – $19/user/month/billed annually
- Enterprise – Custom pricing
Alternatives
The top three alternatives for Justinmind are –
- Figma
- Sketch
- Fluid UI
Conclusion
All these 6 wireframe tools for Mac will get the job done for you and allow you to create your intended wireframes and prototypes. The differences between these 6 tools are mainly their usability, quickness, and price.
While choosing your preferred best wireframe tool for Mac, make sure that you thoroughly analyze these four factors – interface, ease of use, high fidelity result, and device compatibility.
If you are looking for more information about such software, do check out SaaSworthy where we have listed down more than 40,000 software across 300 categories!
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